In many industrial applications, such as in drive belts, fluid conducting hoses, etc., it is desirable to reinforce a rubber body with a suitable fabric. In one such application, the reinforced rubber element is subjected to oil and the like. The device may further be subjected to high temperature conditions in normal use. One such environment is that found in connection with hoses and drive belts, such as used in vehicle engine apparatuses, and the like.
Recently a rubber known as hydronitrile rubber has been developed which is both oil and temperature resistant. Such rubber has found wide use in such applications.
However, in order to provide high thermal resistance, hydrogen has been added to the rubber to saturate the double bond thereof to prevent recoupling of the rubber at high temperature with sulfur. Further, it has been conventional to minimize or eliminate the use of sulfur in the rubber compound. This, however, presents the serious problem of loss of adhesion of the reinforcing fabric to the rubber, as such adhesion conventionally has relied upon the presence of sulfur in the rubber compound.